System and method for data-less backups modification during checkpoint merging

Abstract

A production host includes a persistent storage for storing backup policies and a production agent that obtains a backup generation request for a virtual machine of the virtual machines; in response to the backup generation request, performs a continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the virtual machine to identify a continuity state of backups associated with the virtual machine; makes a first determination, based on the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine, that the backups associated with the virtual machine are in a remediable state; and, in response to the first determination, performs a remediation of the continuity chain to change the backups associated with the virtual machine to be in a continuous state; and generates a backup of the virtual machine using the backup policies while the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine are in the continuous state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A production host that hosts virtual machines, comprising:
 a persistent storage that stores backup policies; and 
 a production agent programmed to:
 obtain a backup generation request for a virtual machine of the virtual machines; and 
 in response to the backup generation request:
 perform a continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the virtual machine to identify a continuity state of backups associated with the virtual machine; 
 make a first determination, based on the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine, that the backups associated with the virtual machine are in a remediable state; and 
 in response to the first determination:
 perform a remediation of the continuity chain to change the backups associated with the virtual machine to be in a continuous state; and 
 generate a backup of the virtual machine using the backup policies while the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine are in the continuous state. 
 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The production host of  claim 1 , wherein the backups are stored in a backup storage that is separate from the production host. 
     
     
       3. The production host of  claim 1 , wherein the continuity chain verification is performed based on virtual machine continuity information stored in the persistent storage of the production host. 
     
     
       4. The production host of  claim 1 , wherein the production agent is further programmed to:
 obtain a second backup generation request for a second virtual machine of the virtual machines; and 
 in response to the second backup generation request:
 perform a second continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the second virtual machine to identify a second continuity state of backups associated with the second virtual machine; 
 make a second determination, based on the second continuity state of the backups associated with the second virtual machine, that the backups associated with the second virtual machine are in a second continuous state; and 
 in response to the second determination:
 generate a backup of the second virtual machine using the backup policies while the continuity state of the backups associated with the second virtual machine are in the second continuous state without performing a remediation of the second continuity chain. 
 
 
 
     
     
       5. The production host of  claim 4 , wherein the production agent is further programmed to:
 obtain a third backup generation request for a third virtual machine of the virtual machines; and 
 in response to the third backup generation request:
 perform a third continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the third virtual machine to identify a third continuity state of backups associated with the third virtual machine; 
 make a third determination, based on the third continuity state of the backups associated with the third virtual machine, that the backups associated with the third virtual machine are in a non-remediable state; and 
 in response to the third determination:
 generate an anchor backup of the third virtual machine while the backup policies specify generation of a different type of backup of the third virtual machine. 
 
 
 
     
     
       6. The production host of  claim 5 , wherein the different type of backup is a dependent backup. 
     
     
       7. The production host of  claim 1 , generating the backup of the virtual machine using the backup policies while the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine are in the continuous state comprises:
 storing the backup in a backup storage that is separate from the production host. 
 
     
     
       8. A method for performing a backup of a virtual machine, comprising:
 obtaining a backup generation request for the virtual machine; and 
 in response to the backup generation request:
 performing a continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the virtual machine to identify a continuity state of backups associated with the virtual machine; 
 making a first determination, based on the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine, that the backups associated with the virtual machine are in a remediable state; and 
 in response to the first determination:
 performing a remediation of the continuity chain to change the backups associated with the virtual machine are to be in a continuous state; and 
 generating a backup of the virtual machine using backup policies of a production host hosting the virtual machine while the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine are in the continuous state. 
 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the backups are stored in a backup storage that is separate from the production host. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the continuity chain verification is performed based on virtual machine continuity information stored in a persistent storage of the production host. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
 obtaining a second backup generation request for a second virtual machine of the virtual machines; and 
 in response to the second backup generation request:
 performing a second continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the second virtual machine to identify a second continuity state of backups associated with the second virtual machine; 
 making a second determination, based on the second continuity state of the backups associated with the second virtual machine, that the backups associated with the second virtual machine are in a second continuous state; and 
 in response to the second determination:
 generating a backup of the second virtual machine using the backup policies while the continuity state of the backups associated with the second virtual machine are in the second continuous state without performing a remediation of the second continuity chain. 
 
 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:
 obtaining a third backup generation request for a third virtual machine of the virtual machines; and 
 in response to the third backup generation request:
 performing a third continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the third virtual machine to identify a third continuity state of backups associated with the third virtual machine; 
 making a third determination, based on the third continuity state of the backups associated with the third virtual machine, that the backups associated with the third virtual machine are in a non-remediable state; and 
 in response to the third determination: 
 generating an anchor backup of the third virtual machine while the backup policies specify generation of a different type of backup of the third virtual machine. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the different type of backup is a dependent backup. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , generating the backup of the virtual machine using the backup policies while the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine are in the continuous state comprises:
 storing the backup in a backup storage that is separate from the production host. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor enables the computer processor to perform a method for performing a backup of a virtual machine, the method comprising:
 obtaining a backup generation request for the virtual machine; and 
 in response to the backup generation request:
 performing a continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the virtual machine to identify a continuity state of backups associated with the virtual machine; 
 making a first determination, based on the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine, that the backups associated with the virtual machine are in a remediable state; and 
 in response to the first determination:
 performing a remediation of the continuity chain to change the backups associated with the virtual machine are to be in a continuous state; and 
 generating a backup of the virtual machine using backup policies of a production host hosting the virtual machine while the continuity state of the backups associated with the virtual machine are in the continuous state. 
 
 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the backups are stored in a backup storage that is separate from the production host. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the continuity chain verification is performed based on virtual machine continuity information stored in a persistent storage of the production host. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 obtaining a second backup generation request for a second virtual machine of the virtual machines; and 
 in response to the second backup generation request:
 performing a second continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the second virtual machine to identify a second continuity state of backups associated with the second virtual machine; 
 making a second determination, based on the second continuity state of the backups associated with the second virtual machine, that the backups associated with the second virtual machine are in a second continuous state; and 
 in response to the second determination:
 generating a backup of the second virtual machine using the backup policies while the continuity state of the backups associated with the second virtual machine are in the second continuous state without performing a remediation of the second continuity chain. 
 
 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:
 obtaining a third backup generation request for a third virtual machine of the virtual machines; and 
 in response to the third backup generation request:
 performing a third continuity chain verification of a continuity chain associated with the third virtual machine to identify a third continuity state of backups associated with the third virtual machine; 
 making a third determination, based on the third continuity state of the backups associated with the third virtual machine, that the backups associated with the third virtual machine are in a non-remediable state; and 
 in response to the third determination: 
 generating an anchor backup of the third virtual machine while the backup policies specify generation of a different type of backup of the third virtual machine. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the different type of backup is a dependent backup.